


The Return to Fiction as a Potential Solution to the Conflicts Within the 1D Fandom

by 1Direction2MyHeart



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Gen, Meta, Metafiction, larry shippers - Freeform, larry stylinson - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-19
Updated: 2014-02-19
Packaged: 2018-01-13 01:33:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,116
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1207906
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/1Direction2MyHeart/pseuds/1Direction2MyHeart
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After observing shippers and non-shippers fiercely attacking one another in online communities, I wanted to analyze the reasons behind the intensity of this conflict and the stakes involved in real person fiction, eventually hoping to provide a potential solution for a less volatile fandom.  It seems that this fandom's hostility stems from the high stakes involved in manipulating and reconstructing real people's gender and sexuality, demonstrating the importance of a return to fiction, rather than fact/reality, as the basis of Larry shipping in the One Direction fandom.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Return to Fiction as a Potential Solution to the Conflicts Within the 1D Fandom

The One Direction fandom presents a unique lens into broad social issues such as homosexuality, privacy, and ethics. Ship wars within the fandom polarize the community, producing intense backlash, hatred, and even violence. Larry Shippers, a unique subset within the 1D fandom who believe that Louis Tomlinson and Harry Styles are in a secret homosexual relationship known as ‘Larry Stylinson’ are of particular importance to the conflict dividing the fandom, because their work puts Louis and Harry’s real life reputation, image, and personal relationships at stake. These boys are not fictional characters – they are real people with real relationships, real sexuality, and real love, blurring the line between fan fiction and reality. However, the divisive issue within this fandom is not necessarily the shippers’ message itself; rather, hostility arises because the message is portrayed and interpreted as fact, rather than fiction. If we begin to understand Larry Shippers’ beliefs as works of fantasy and imagination rooted in textual evidence, rather than a conspiracy theory based on personal knowledge of the boys, there is potential to restore this volatile fandom, provide more freedom for self-expression, and create harmony between the band and their fans.

While Larry Shippers began just by writing fiction pairing Louis and Harry, they have become are so adamant in their One True Pairing that they compile extensive evidence ([x](http://stylinhome.tumblr.com/post/22342202352/reasons-why-larry-stylinson-is-real-p-1), [x](http://stylinhome.tumblr.com/post/24713688280/larry-analysis-being-confronted-not-denying-lying)) used to justify their unyielding conviction that Larry Stylinson is real. Specifically, these fans argue that the band’s management has forced the boys to remain closeted and has pressured the boys to enter fake relationships with women as ‘beards’ in order to conceal their true sexual orientation. Larry Shippers believe that Louis’ relationship with long-time girlfriend Eleanor is purely meant to conceal his true relationship with Harry, and argue that Harry’s past relationships with celebrities such as Taylor Swift were publicity stunts meant to detract attention from ‘Larry’ ([x](http://reasonswhyelounorisntreal.tumblr.com/aboutthetumblr), [x](http://stoponedirectionsmanagement.tumblr.com/post/38659861485/my-opinion-on-haylor-everything-that-is-posted-on-the)). Though Larry Shippers base their position on textual evidence like traditional fan fiction (albeit in the form of Tumblr, Twitter, Instragram, photographs, and video clips), their claim produces a much more intense reaction from non-shipping fans because of its potential to exist in reality and its implications for real people.

One fan explained her opposition to Larry shipping on Tumblr, stating, “who the fuck do you think you are to be forcing your romanticised and deluded concepts of sexuality on to others? jesus christ….their sexuality is exactly that-  _theirs_. it’s not yours to be manipulating” ([x](http://drunkkdirection.tumblr.com/)). Based on this argument, the source of contention stems from the fact that Larry Shippers impose their own beliefs on real peoples’ sexuality. Shippers’ public manipulation, reconstruction, and imposition of Louis and Harry’s sexaulity tremendously increases the stakes involved in their work, especially because gender and sexuality are considered such private, personal elements in our society.

In this sense, the problems within the fandom seem to have arisen only once shippers and non-shippers began to view RPF as grounded in _reality_ , rather than in fiction. Thus, though the message itself is a justified form of self-expression, it produced backlash once it was marketed and interpreted less as a fantasy and more as a conspiracy theory based on factual claims. This has caused a passionate reaction from non-shippers who feel the need to defend the boys’ right to privacy and intimacy, creating enormous tension, aggression, and even violence between the two sects.

Additionally, although the band profits off of the intense dedication of its fans, the boys are sometimes unable to hide the impact shippers have on their professional and personal lives. Louis exposed this sense of desperation when he tweeted, “Hows this, Larry is the biggest load of bullshit I’ve ever heard. I’m happy why can’t you accept that” ([x](https://twitter.com/Louis_Tomlinson/status/247381724760264704)). Though Louis obviously cares deeply about his fans, this interaction between the real figure and the shippers reveals a loss of control, frustration, and annoyance with fans who take on a public, active, and unwanted role in the boys’ sex lives.

More broadly, shipping not only influences the boys on an individual level; it also impacts their significant others and their relationships with one another as friends and band mates. In an interview with SugarScape, Louis claimed he was so angry about the rumors because, “I think it’s just really degrading towards [Eleanor]” ([x](http://www.sugarscape.com/main-topics/lads/769117/louis-tomlinson-gay-rumours-are-degrading-eleanor-calder)). He added, “This is a subject that was funny at first but now is actually hard to deal with, as I am in a relationship. Me and Harry are best friends. People look into our every move – it is actually affecting the way me and Harry are in public” ([x](http://www.sugarscape.com/main-topics/lads/769117/louis-tomlinson-gay-rumours-are-degrading-eleanor-calder)). Thus, although Louis and Harry are shippers’ ultimate objects of affection, real person shipping has created animosity and tension between the boys and their fans. Perhaps Louis’ powerful public statements have functioned to legitimize shippers’ claims and their place in reality, rather than served to devalue them, but his response can be understood as a natural reaction to the prolific spread of rumors affecting the private sphere of gender and sexuality. His statement and the mere potential for interaction between the canon and its shippers increase the stakes involved in shipping because it re-enforces the real life implications of shipping and the presence of real people rather than characters as its victims.

While the fandom’s future may appear bleak, understanding the moral issues involved in manipulating real people’s sexuality and gender as the root of the problem may present a potential opportunity to restore the 1D fandom. Though they write RPF, Larry Shippers do not have intimate knowledge of the boys they ship on a personal level. Rather, like traditional, character-based fan fiction, Larry Shippers base their evidence off of textual sources, such as Tumblr, Twitter, and video clips. Thus, if both shippers and non-shippers begin to view Larry Stylinson as a work of virtual fiction based on fantasy, rather than an argument based in reality, there will be less at stake within the fandom. Perhaps fans should follow the lead of zarah5, who prefaced her Larry Stylinson fic with a disclaimer reading: “All lies. While based on the public personas of the 1D boys, this is in no way meant to imply anything about their preferences or behaviour in real life. When in doubt, consult Google about the definition of ‘fiction’” ([x](../633099/chapters/1145470)). By understanding real person slash in the 1D fandom as a product of imagination based on _characters_ , not personal knowledge of _real people_ , shippers can continue to freely express themselves and explore their identities, all while protecting the boys’ privacy and sexuality. Re-emphasizing the importance of the _fiction_ aspect of fan fiction, therefore, can perhaps serve as a solution to the conflict that threatens to tear this fandom apart.

 


End file.
